Source::AP
MOSCOW
AP
Developers of Sputnik V, Russia’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine, announced Wednesday that early, interim data from a large trial suggests the shot appears to be 92% effective.
The statement, which did not include detailed information about the trial, comes just two days after a similar one from Pfizer Inc., but is based on far fewer virus cases. Some experts suggest the data may have been rushed out in an effort to keep up with the worldwide race for a successful coronavirus vaccine.
Russia touted Sputnik V, a two-shot vaccine, as the world’s first to receive a government go-ahead after it was approved in early August without completing advanced testing. The move drew considerable criticism from experts who said data from tens of thousands of people were needed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine before it is given widely.
Russian officials announced advanced studies among 40,000 volunteers two weeks after it received government approval. On Wednesday, Russia’s Direct Investment Fund that bankrolled the effort announced that an analysis of the early data of the study showed that the vaccine “had an efficacy rate of 92%.”
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